Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

In 2019, Switzerland came top overall in a ranking of destinations for expatriates to live and work, moving up from eighth last year. Geneva – © Hai Huy Ton That | Dreamstime.comSingapore, which had held the top spot for four years in the HSBC’s list of the best countries for expatriates, dropped to second place. Switzerland scored highly on salaries (1st), stability (1st), education (2nd) and quality of life. 82% of expats say they experienced an improvement in quality of life after...

Switzerland’s Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) recently published the results of its farm inspections in 2018. © Melissa Mahoney | Dreamstime.com 35% of the 10,647 inspections were done without warning, a percentage above the 10% minimum. 87% of farms were found to be operating on or above minimum Swiss animal welfare standards, while 13% were below the minimum. According to an RTS interview, many of the infractions were oversights, such as not giving an animal water on a hot...

As the 30 June 2019 expiry date for Swiss-EU stock market equivalence approaches, the National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, has given a clear mandate to extend negotiations over the nation’s relationship with the EU. © Denis Linine | Dreamstime.com The negotiations, which began in 2014, are centred on the Framework Agreement, an arrangement designed to replace the patchwork of deals Switzerland has with the EU, deals that include free movement of people, mutual recognition of industrial...

Switzerland’s government is aiming to make it easier to access medical marijuana, which is used by those suffering from cancer or other serious medical conditions. © Olegmalyshev _ Dreamstime.com The proposed rules would make it possible for doctors to directly prescribe cannabis as part of their treatment, said the Federal Council in a statement. Currently, patients have to apply for an exception from the Federal Office of Public Health to get a prescription. Around 3,000 people were granted...

The gap between Switzerland’s official retirement age – 65 for men and 64 for women – and average life expectancy is long. Life expectancy at 65 is 20 years for men (85) and 23 for women (88). © Andor Bujdoso | Dreamstime.com More and more people are questioning the viability of living for two decades or more without working, particularly when the population is aging and the pension system is crumbling. However, rather than raising the official retirement age, some favour financial incentives...

In 2018, Switzerland and the EU struck a deal to extend Swiss stock market equivalence until 30 June 2019, a date fast approaching. © Marc Bruxelle _ Dreamstime.com Stock market equivalence makes a trade on the Swiss stock exchange equivalent to a trade on an exchange in an EU country. This allows trades to be pooled across countries, something that supports global trade and improves international market liquidity, a win-win for all traders. For this reason, the Swiss Bankers Association...

© Andrii Yalanskyi | Dreamstime.com One idea for containing rising healthcare costs was to remove the possibility of changing health insurance deductibles every year, making it possible only every three years. If people are able to switch from high to low deductibles annually then they can save money by opting for a high deductible one year, while postponing visits to the doctor until the following year when they opt...

One idea for containing rising healthcare costs was to remove the possibility of changing health insurance deductibles every year, making it possible only every three years. © Andrii Yalanskyi | Dreamstime.com If people are able to switch from high to low deductibles annually then they can save money by opting for a high deductible one year, while postponing visits to the doctor until the following year when they opt for a low one. Locking deductibles for three years would reduce this...

The National Council, Switzerland’s parliament, supported a motion that would end the transfer of debt from unpaid health insurance premiums to young adults, according to 20 Minutes. © Fizkes | Dreamstime.com Under the current system, when young adults reach the age of 18 they must pay any health insurance premiums that were not paid on their behalf by their parents when they were children. Recently, 174 members of parliament voted to stop this practice. Only 2 voted not to. Some young Swiss...

A ranking by Elite Traveler placed the restaurant Hôtel de Ville de Crissier first in a list of the world’s 100 best restaurants, eight places higher than last year. © RESTAURANT DE L’HÔTEL DE VILLE The ranking is based on the votes of readers of the magazine, which is distributed to private jet companies around the world. Franck Giovannini, the restaurant’s chef, follows a long line of award winning chefs at the restaurant who include Frédy Girardet, Philippe Rochat and Benoît Violier. The...